Michelle Ballantyne Tory choice for Tweeddale and Lauderdale

Bob Burgess

Selkirkshire Conservative councillor Michelle Ballantyne will make a bid for Holyrood at May’s Scottish Parliamentary elections.

She’s been selected to fly the party flag in the Midlothian South, Tweeddale and Lauderdale seat, currently held for the SNP by Christine Grahame with a majority of 4,924 over the Lib Dems.

In 2011 the Conservative’s Peter Duncan finished bottom of the poll with 3,743 votes.

Councillor Ballantyne leads the Conservative opposition group on Scottish Borders Council, to which she was elected in 2012.

At the general election in May she increased the Tory vote in Midlothian by 24 per cent.

After being selected on Monday night she commented: “As a passionate unionist who cares deeply about people, I want to see a Scottish Government that actually delivers real solutions to the challenges we face.

“Over the coming months, I look forward to meeting a great many of the electorate and discussing how we can secure a great future for Scotland.”